Away Mission Settlers End
Overview The First Away Mission Following the Destruction of the Ground Colony by the Har'ken. The race dubbed by the HDF as 'Asuran' until their true names became known. The mission was undertaken to investigate possible Har'ken survivors on the nearby star system. Mission Log Classification: Open Operational Report on Mission to Settlers End on Jan 9, 2511 For Administrator Jubilynn Lane, Botany Bay Station Complied by Lt.-Cdr. Kyle Inniatzo, Home Defense Fleet / Deep Exploration Branch At 08:14 09Jan2051 (2011) Botany Bay Station receives message from colony world “Settlers End,” reporting a shuttle of the type used by an unknown species of apparent humanoids (HDF Code Designation: Asuran) who previously attacked Botany Bay. No survivors were found, however there is evidence of burial sites. The crash is located in a plateau in the high mountains, within a forest of Ellorian pines, approximately 125 kilometers from the nearest settlement. Colonists from the Harmon Family have set up a watch on the crash site, and installed navigational beacons. The Colony Elders have requested assistance to evaluate the nature of this crash. SETTELERS END Class M satellite of Class J gas giant. Location: Within the extragalactic gas cloud containing Botany Bay Station. 685 standard AU (102 billion kilometers) from Botany Bay Station. Environment: Gravity 0.7 standard. Temperature within standard parameters. Atmosphere within standard parameters. Perpetual twilight due to lack of a stars within this unusual nebula. Population: Small colony, less than 100 humans. UNKNOWN SPECIES HDF Code Designation: ASURAN Alternate Colloquial Designations: “Hostiles,” “Wormhole Hostiles” Self-Designation is unknown. Physical features: unknown, but outwardly humanoid. information will likely be forthcoming from analysis of body of dead Asuran by medical staff. Always seen dressed in battle armor. Armed with advanced EM weapons capable of stunning as well as locking the battle armor of target, as well as standard energy discharge weapons. Asurans have been encountered at least twice: * Sept. 2050 (2010): Hostiles attacked Botany Bay colony then on the surface of the planet. The colony was destroyed and survivors were forced to flee into space. The Hostiles did not pursue to the Botany Bay station. * Dec. 2050 (2010): During a short period of stability, the Wormhole was capable of being traversed. An Expedition reached a planet on the far side, and was subsequently attacked by Hostiles. Several Hostile shuttles pursued back through the Wormhole and were destroyed by the Station’s defense grid. MISSION OBJECTIVES Reach the crash site, gather intelligence about the nature and technology of the Asurans, and salvage useful components for analysis on Botany Bay Station. MISSION LOG Administrator Jubilynn Lane describes the situation in her briefing and asks for volunteers to go to the crash site. She adds that 500 credits will be given upon completion of the mission, except for those under direct contract with Botany Bay. When asked if the hostilities are expected, Administrator Jubilynn replies “every time I wake up in the morning, I expect hostilities.” Mission Crew consists of: * Lt.-Cdr. Kyle Inniatzo, commanding * Dr. Cabalot Serenity, scientist * Davirus Seorn, salvage expert * Dr. Felicia Carami, CRASH doctor * Gnosis Aljon, reporter for ITN * Krow SpiritWeaver, medic and CRASH security * Ti Miao (Tmiao Solo), salvage expert * "NPC" Ellie, Botany Bay shuttle pilot At 18:27 Shuttle Alpha departs the landing bay. The navigational beacons on Sinner’s End are easily located. The shuttle touches down at 18:32. A Sinner’s Rest colonist is waiting at the crash site with a jeep, she does not identify herself. She reports that the crashed alien shuttle has “been here for months.” The Asuran shuttle is nearby and is approached with caution. A deep furrow and debris indicate a violent crash landing. The rear hatch is opened and inside blue blood covers the damaged controls. Dr. Cabalot enters the shuttle to determine if any systems are operational, and to gather data, while Dr. Felicia analyzes the blood. Davirus located footprints several meters from the crashed shuttle (18:37). The footprints lead towards a nearby ridge. Two teams are created: Lt.-Cdr. Kyle, Davirus, Gnosis and Ti form an advance team to follow the alien tracks; Dr. Cabalot, Dr. Felicia and Krow remain with the shuttles to continue the analysis. The advance team reaches the top of the ridge, and see that on the other side the Ellorian pine forest continues on the other side. There is sign of habitation. The team proceed down the ridge and search for more footprints. A variety of small, low technology traps are discovered on the approaches from the ridgeline. No one are seriously injured by these traps. Lt.-Cdr. Kyle comes across two Asurans, with weapons and in full armor (18:44). She attempts to communicate with them as the other advance team members take up defensive positions. There is no response from the aliens, and they at once open fire. Ti takes a hit, which is fortunately absorbed by her armor. later evaluation: It is possible this hit was friendly fire from Lt.-Cdr. Kyle. A firefight erupts in the forest. It becomes apparent that only one of the Asurans is firing an energy weapon, the other has a weapon which fires stunning bolts. From the level of fire it is possible additional Asurans were hiding in the forest. There are minor injuries as the advance team takes cover around trees and raised ground. At 18:54, with no sign of the hostile fire slackening, Lt.-Cdr. Kyle orders a withdrawal back to the ridge, and then to the shuttle. The hostile aliens do not pursue the group, as they cross the ridge. As the advance team regroups with the science team the local guide flees the scene in her jeep. It is quickly discovered that Gnosis did not return over the ridge. The advance team returns to the ridge to search for her. Fortunately Gnosis is found as she is making her way over the rocks, having been cut off by the hostiles. She is not injured. Gnosis reports that she saw two of the hostiles down. As there is no fire, it is possible that they are injured or dead. The advance teams carefully returns to the forest and searches for the downed Asurans. One Asuran is located, it’s armor covered by blasts from energy weapons. There is a dark tar-like substance, as well as bluish blood. It is definitely dead. At 19:03 a feline humanoid, thin compared to a standard human, with brown fur and a brown tail, emerges from the forest, and says “What the fuck is going on down here?” The feline humanoid identifies herself as “Nine,” although that may not be her name. She asks where the team are from. When told, she expresses surprise. Nine apparently believes that the Botany Bay colony was destroyed during the attack of September 2050, and does not seem to know that there is now a Botany Bay Station. Davirus, Gnosis and Ti attempt to drag the alien body back towards the shuttle. To lessen the weight they first remove it’s helmet. The Asuran is blue, with scales, and still bleeding bluish blood. The thicker, reddish tar-like secretion appears to come from the armor itself. Over the commlink, Dr. Felicia speculates that the armor may in fact be similar to an exoskeleton. Despite the weight of the corpse, Nine is able to lift it easily and carries it back as the advance team crosses the ridge once more to return to the shuttles (19:16). While the advance team encounters the aliens, the science team makes progress at the crash site. Inside the Asuran shuttle, Dr. Cabalot is able to get some of the shuttle’s systems online, and transmits the raw, encrypted data from the ship’s logs back to Botany Bay (18:40). He is able to restore more systems, but the shuttle is far to damaged to be flyable. Upon finding unencrypted engineering logs, Dr. Cabalot determines that the shuttle’s starboard thruster failed, and then was torn off during atmospheric entry. He then discovers alien secretions which he describes as “gross.” Under the direction of Dr. Felicia, Dr. Cabalot takes a sample of the secretion which is distinct from the bluish blood. Dr. Cabalot also reports the strong smell of ammonia from inside the Asuran shuttle. Dr. Felicia is able to determine that the Asuran blood is hemocyanin-based, as opposed to hemoglobin-based as in humans and most humanoids (19:12). Dr. Cabalot detects hydrocyanic acid and ammonia from the tar-like secretion. Was Dr. Cabalot analyzing the secretions when he made that discovery? Dr. Felicia supervises the sealing of the alien body, then she and Krow stow it on Shuttle Alpha. NPC Ellie refuses to assist in this procedure, claiming, “I’m a pilot not a baggage handler.” The shuttle lifts off from the Sinner’s Rest at 19:28. During the flight back to the station, Dr. Cabalot claims to not “feel so good,” a nd begins to cough up blood. The shuttle arrives back in the landing bay (19:33) where the teams are directed to decon. HEADLINE: ATTACK ON SETTLER'S END BY: Gnosis Aljon, INT Reporter 2011-01-09 After frontier colonists at "Settler's End" reported a suspicious object crashing in the forest and asking for help, Administrator Jubilynn Lane called for a volunteer detachemnt to investigate. Shortly after the crash the Harman family set up a watch on the wreckage and the settelement elders asked for Botany Bay's assistance. The settlers reported the small craft appeared to match the description of the type used to attack the colony in September as well as the type that attacked Alpha several weeks ago as it traveled though the wormhole. A volunteer landing party lead by Kyle Inniatzo, went down to the moon's surface and were attacked by members of a previously unknown race. The volunteer party consisted of: Ti Miao, Daviros Seorn, Gnosis Aljon, Felicia Carami, Krow Spiritweaver, Cabalot Serenity and pilot Ellie. Inniatzo, Miao, Seorn, and Aljon explored the forest, taking fire. Two attackers were killed and the bodies recovered and returned to the station after decon. ((Did I miss one person here? I thought there were 5)). A feline-type being approached the party after the firing stopped and helped bring the body to the shuttle. She gave her name as "Nine" but was not questioned. Shortly before returning to base, Cabalot Serentiy, a scientistic exhibited signs of blood loss from his nose and mouth and said, "I think I breathed in that acid/amonia waste". He collapsed shortly after his return to the base and is being treated. All members of the party and the shuttle were first sent to decon before being allowed to return to the station. Settlers End is a small class M moon orbiting a gas giant 685 AU from the station though the gas nebula. Gravity on Settler's end is .7 standard, and as all worlds in the cluster is in perpetual twilight due to the lack of a star. The moon is, however, heavily forested by Ellorian pines and has a series of ridges that run north-south. Mission Photos Log Category:History & Events Category:The Colony